If She Weren't
by Lunar Affect
Summary: Sometimes Hinata wondered what she would be like if she hadn't been born into the Hyuuga clan, as the heir no less. If her her back bone hadn't been squashed by an overbearing father with obscene expectations of his daughter.
1. Chapter 1

Sometimes being a Hyuuga had its benefits some times. People respected you, there was always a place willing to house you and feed you. However there were some things that even the Hyuuga name couldn't always provide. Such things like a person to confide in or a shoulder to cry on. True, the Clan was tight knit and always protected one another, but just like the rest of the world the Hyuuga's had their misfits. The ones that felt lost in a sea of family who looked at you but never really SAW you.

Hinata had always felt like that, like she didn't belong here, in the clan compound. She was well aware that she didn't fit in. Her father, mother, and sister they were all confident and extremely opinionated. They lived their lives by the family traditions, the very ones Hinata wished she were brave enough to forgo. She didn't like the fact that there was a branch family, she wished she could be silly and show what she felt inside.

Sometimes Hinata wondered what she would be like if she hadn't been born into the Hyuuga clan, as the heir no less. Would she be more confident, since her back bone wouldn't have been squashed by an overbearing father with irrationally high expectations of his daughter? Could she laugh more freely if she had never known what if felt like to be a perpetual disappointment? Perhaps she could have a normal relationship with her siblings seeing as how they would never replace her in her parents' eyes?

Yes, that's what Hinata thought anyways. True she had learned some useful truths along the way _(i.e.: life's not fair, you can't please everyone so do your best for yourself and no one else and most importantly Life Goes On no matter what.)_ So in that aspect Hinata supposed that she should be thankful to have grown up under such conditions.

Besides if she hadn't there is the chance that she wouldn't have fallen for the man who was soon to be Hokage. The one who helped learn to be strong and stand for what she believed in. Aside from the life lessons the clan had given her they had also, in a strange non-direct manner, led her to Naruto (_even if they truly thought he wasn't fit for her to marry_)

Oh yeah and that fortune sure was helpful when it came to paying for a wedding ceremony.

"I do," the words floated across Hinata's ears gently pulling her from her musings.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife you may kiss the bride," Naruto leaned forward and sealed his lips over Hinata's.


	2. Chapter 2

Blonde hair and pale eyes.

Uzumaki Minato smiled happily up at his mother waving a chubby little arm up towards her face. Tiny fingers clasping around the index finger she offered along with a loving smile.

Hinata loved her son.

She watched as he crinkled his nose and cooed dragging her finger towards his mouth. Laughed when he succeeded and how his pale eyes seemed to shine with his small triumph. She didn't mind the slobber.

"It'll be a few minutes Uzumaki-san," the older brunette Jonin informed her politely glancing down at her son as he chewed contentedly at her finger.

"Thank you Namiashi-senpai," she replied. Vaguely she considered asking him again just to call her Hinata, but was interrupted when the door to the Hokage's chambers slammed open. Minato jumped at the noise and looked to his mother startled tears beginning to form.

"Raidoooooo," Naruto began when the sniffling started. Hinata shifted her son up to res his cheek against her own and patted his back trying to stop the sniffling before the actual crying could begin, "How many times do I have to tell you?" he asked not at all angry, "Hinata never has to…" he stopped when the sniffling became louder.

Slowly both men turned their heads towards the noise. She could see the fear sequestered in their eyes as the looked toward Minato, whom was clearly gearing up to begin sobbing loudly.

Both men froze.

"You've scared him Naruto-kun," she stated calmly.

Hinata wasn't the least bit surprised when a suitably ashamed Naruto took her son from her arms. It didn't catch her off guard when the man, head of the Konohagakure Hidden Village, began cooing at their child.

Pulling faces that were mildly disturbing, but made Minato laugh every time, and generally making a fool of himself.

Raido looked away. Not willing to witness and subsequently laugh at his Hokage.

Hinata noted the smile on the older man's face and couldn't help but mirror it.

If Hinata were anyone else she would be embarrassed, but she wasn't.

Uzumaki Hinata laughed delitedly along with her son. Secure in the knowledge that she was Hinata, he was Naruto and the tiny bundle pulling on the Hokage's hair was their son and she was elated in the knowledge that shoe would never want to be anyone else.


End file.
